Rotary steam engine



C. 0. BANER.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 192.0. v

Patented. July 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

C. O. BANER.

ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 23, I92o.

1 42 1,93, I. Patented July 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Flieg@ A, .V- 'fier FFFCE,

CARL OSCAR BANER, OFSAN' FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

'ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

Specification-of Letters Patent.

Patented July d, 1922.

Application zalen-'November 23, V1920. serial'no. 426,066.

Another 'object of my invention is to'pro# duce an engine of the class described which will `do away with gearing and other un# necessary parts which have heretofore formed a part of'rotary and the like engines.

A further object of the invention is to vemploy a plurality of stages in'which the steam is used and thus derive a maximum efficiency from any lgiven quanti-ty 'of steam.

A `still further object is "to reduce 'friction to a minimum'by employing a-small number' of friction lcreating parts. lith these and still further objects in view, the invention will be more readily understood upon reference to the accompanying drawings,'which show that' form of the invention which has been selected for the purpose of illustration. In said drawings:

Figure lis an end elevation showing the piping for the reversing valves;

Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2, Figure'l;

Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3, Figure 10;

Figure 4 is a cross-section on the line 4 4, Figure 10;

Figure 5 is a horizontal 5 5, Figure 10;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the blades;

section on the line Figure 7 is an edge view of one of theV blades in position;

Figure'S is-va side elevation showing the reversing valves;

Figure 9 is a topplan view showing one of the reversing valves partly in section;

Figure 10 is an axial section on the line 10 10, Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a cross-section on the line 11 11, Figure l0;

'p Figure 12 is a :view in elevation of the steam che's't'showing the rings and yexpansio'n chambers;

Figure -13 is a sectional view v"on the line 13 13, Figure 12, and

Figure 14 is "a longitudinal sect-ion of lthe gearing, which may or may 'not be used.

Figure 15 Vis a 'c'ros'sJsection Valong line 1545 for Figure 1o.

Referring 'now to the 'drawings in detail, 1 Irepresents 'the power shaft uponfwhich the rotors 2, 3 and f1 are mo'unted, all three of which being keyed 'to the shaft 'and adapted to rotate the `'same `provision being niafde, however, to permit the shaft toinove slightly longitudinally due to expansion. The rotors are spaced apart on4 the shaft in stages by the steam chests `5 and 6 which a're r'c-axia`lly positioned on the shaft, with fanti-'friction bearing 7 arranged for the chest '6. Each one of the steam chests is divided radi# ally and includes an intake end and an outlet end Y(see Figures 3 and 1), the intake beingshown in tdotted lines at 'the 'bottom of the chest 5 in Figure 10, Aand the ports 8` therefor Ibeing shown in Figures 8 Yand v 12. These ports are preferably six in number three on 'each side. The 'outlet is shown as a't`5. The intake for the chest 5 is controlled by the 'sliding valve 9 which in turn is actuated by the steam plunger 10* This valve 9 is adapted to open or close either set of ports according to the direction of "ron tation; for instance,as shown in`Figure 3, the rotor 3 will be rotated antiec'l'ockwis'e; whereas if the valve were moved forward the other-set of ports 8 would be uncovered and the opposite 'set closed, which would cause the rotor 3 to rota-te ina reverse direction. The steam is admitted to the rotor 2 direct from the 'throttle 1'1 through the port 12 and the same is exhausted into the by-pass 13 to the chest 5: wl'iereupon it will be treated 'as above mentioned and exhausted from' 'the rotor 3 into the by-pass or steam passage 14 to the chest 6. The chest 6 is constructed the same as the chest 5, eX- cept that the valve 9a in this stage is on the top instead of the bottom. Both chests `include arcuate shaped recesses or expansion chambers 5a on diametrically opposite sides, as best shown in Figures 12 and 13. These chambers will enable the steam to expand to give the rotor the full advantage of the steam. It is to be noted that a like chamber is arranged as at 11a in the casing of the throttle 11 adjacent the rotor 2.

The valve 92L is actuated by the steam plunger 10a. The ports 8a in the chest 6 arc arranged the same as the ports 8 except that they are in the top instead of the bottom. In reversing in this stage, the valve 9a is moved to uncover the opposite set of ports. The passage between the chest 6 and the rotor 4 is shown in dotted lines in Figure 10. The exhaust from the last and final stage from the rotor 4 is through the passage 15.

Each one of the rotors will be provided with a series of blades 2a, 3a and 4a. The blades are V-shaped and may be separately removed from the rotor ring (see Figure 7 'in which they have a dovetail lit.

The chests 5 and 6 and the rotors 2,3 and l 4 use the customary steam rings 16. to prevent leakage of steam through the bearings and stuffing boxes. To prevent escape of steam past the blades when they become worn, spring pressedV packing rings 17 are arranged on the rotor 4; as shown at 18 in Figurel 10, the springs are adapted to maintain the rings against the blades under tension.

The engine casing is divided in two parts joined along their flanges by suitable bolts, and side plates are fixed by bolts to the engine ends. 7

As stated, the main intake yport 12 communicates with the control throttle 11. This throttle comprises a casing having an inlet as at 19 communicating with the steam supply. The'throttle valve 20 is rotatable by the lever 21 so that the same may open or close the inlet 19 and-to also control the effective port area of the port 12 which is divided so the rotor 2 may be reversed by directing the intake of steam at `different angles to the blades 2at thereof.

Arranged in the port 12 inside of the valve 20 is the piping 22 and 23 for admittingsteam to the cylinders 10b and 10C for the 'plungers 10 and 10a. Each of these steam pipes includes a dual supplyfor both the plunger cylinders 10b and 10. Therefore, considering the throttle valve 2O as in the position shown in Figure 5, steam would be supplied through the piping 22 and through the two branches thereof to both the cylinders 10b and 10, the steam being admitted to the cylinder 10b on the outside of the plunger 10 and'on the inside of the plunger 10a in the cylinder 10.v The positions of the plungers in Figures 3 and 4 are shown as if the throttle valve were open to admit steam into the piping 23.y

' With reference to the gearing shown in Figure 14, this may be used within the casing co-axially of and adjacent the rotor 4 or'f'the rotor 2. A special endplate, such as A, would of course be required to house theffsame. The gearing may comiprise a driving gear a keyed to the shaft 1 and adapted to mesh with a pair of idlers b whichare free to rotate on the spindles c, the ends of which being set in the side of one of the end plates of the engine casing. Arranged around and enclosing the idlers l) is an internal gear c which is keyed to the divided end 1a of the shaft 1 and adapted to drivethe same. j

The operation of the engine is as follows:

Steam from any suitable source of supply is introduced'through the intake 19 of the throttle 11 where it will be introduced through the divided port 12 to the blades 2a of the rotor 2. The position of the valve 20 of the throttle will determine in which direction the rotor V2 will be rotated by-the incoming steam. The position of this valve also will affect the position of the valves 9 and 9a, as it will open or close eitherthe piping 22 or 23 according to its position, which will thus manipulate the valves V9V and 9a to permit the rotors 3 and 4 to rotate in the same direction as the rotor 2. vThe steam in being exhausted fromY the rotor 2 will be introduced through the passage' 13 into the steam chest 5 atthe bottom thereof through those ones of the intake ports 8 left open by the valve 9. The steam will then be exhausted from the steam chest 5 intothe next stage of the engine, which will be the vrotor 3, which will rotate the same from where it will be exhausted, intothe passage 14 and into'the next` stage of the engine through that set lof'intakeports 8a in the chest 6- left uncovered'by the valve 9 and from the chest'into the rotor 4 and then through the final exhaust15., According to the present illustrative "embodiment, there are three stages` shown and described, but the number of stages is immaterial, as there 'may be more than three,'or just a single stage; for instance, a suitable exhaust could-be arranged in the passage 13 .which would do away with allV but one ofthe rotors, or an exhaust could be made in the passage 14 which would require'only two tions, the steam passages in each set being' divided so as to lead into oppositeV directions, and means for controlling `the steam passages allowing the rotors to bejactuated ,Y

in either direction. Y Y,

2.` An engine of the character described, comprising a housing, a shaft rotatable iso therein, rotors mounted on the shaft and a stationary steam chest mounted between each two rotors, V-shaped blades on each rotor presenting symmetrical working faces in both directions, sets of steam passages in the steam chests on opposite sides communicating with adjacent rotors in opposite directions, the steam passages in each set being divided so as to lead into opposite directions, and having expansion chambers associated therewiith for allowing a plurality ot blades to be attacked simultaneously, and means for controlling the steam passages allowing the rotors to be actuated in either direction.

8. An engine of the character described, comprising a housing, a shaft rotatable therein, rotors mounted on the shaft and a stationary steam chest mounted between each two rotors, V-shaped blades on each rotor presenting symmetrical working faces in both directions, sets of steam passages in the steam chests on opposite sides communicating with adjacent rotors in opposite directions, the steam passages in each set being divided so as to lead into opposite directions, and means for controlling the steam passages allowing the rotors to be actuated in either direction, said means comprising sliding valves associated with the passages in each steam chest, a main steam admitting valve and an operative connection between the main valve and the sliding valves adapted to actuate both of them simultaneously.

CARL OSCAR BANER. 

